Although not talked about more by the media, rather they are clearly ignored when it suits. The latest batch of 'tries of the month' being a prime example. Drooling over Stefan Ratchford's try and not one person made any mention of the ball to Myler going a yard forward in the build up.

As someone on Radio Blunderside said, if Leeds do 10 forward passes in a game, they get caught for 2, they get away with 8!! not a bad average if they score from them. So why would they stop..

No matter how much you might like to, you can't ignore simple physics. Luckily enough the RFL realised this a long time ago and so the forward pass law incorporates how the real world works and not some idealised fantasy world where momentum doesn't exist.


If you're running forward faster than you throw the ball backwards, then it's always going to land in front of where you threw it - even if you threw it directly backwards over your head. Hell - you could run backwards and throw it directly away from you towards your own try line and it would [istill[/i land ahead of where you threw it. It really is very simple. In none of these instances would it be a forward pass under the law as it has stood for decades.

The RFL really need to educate some of the fans if they want the same old stupid questions to stop being answered.

"Why isn't a forward pass in relation to the pitch?" should be a feature on Boots N All or the Super League Show, as long as it's not answered by Stevo! A few little examples and explanations and it may do a job in stopping the same thing being asked for all of eternity!

Its about time the forward or so called flat pass was binned, we then might get the skillful players and moves such as the run around, at this moment in time rugby is a series of set plays, thats why rangi would be a brilliant signing. How many flat passes did knocker, topliss or sterling throw bet you could count them on one hand.

Unless the player is stood still or running sideways

Kosh/Wellsey...Answer 1 question....The pass from Hodgeson to Monaghan...Forward or not????

Can't recall it so I'd have to look again.

BTW, neither of us are arguing against the point that genuine forward passes are let go far too often nowadays. They're dead easy to spot by looking at the position of the hands when the ball is released. But making a complaint based on a faulty definition of what constitutes a forward pass doesn't really add to the discussion.

Highlights of the game here rlhttps://www.superleague.co.uk/sltv/SLHighlights#rl the pass is 2:15 in.

It was backwards. Hodgson is running forward at some pace. He slows down after he's passed it, and is still in front of where Monoghan catches it. If you look how he passes it as well, the direction looks to be pointing backwards.

It's the exact reason why this rule is in place. It would be practically impossible to pass on the run if in relation to the pitch.

wonder if it would help for the video refs to have use of a system whereby they can mark with say a red line the point at which the ball is thrown and another to show where it is caught which shows forward or not???

No, because as explained at some length in this thread the point at which the ball is thrown and caught is irrelevant to whether it's a forward pass or not.

I guess whilst there is no definative answer it will always remain a grey area open to interpretation by any given official then but i know i may be old school but if a ball is thrown forwards regardless of speed or size etc its still simply a forward pass to me
RL was a simple game made very difficult by additions to the rules over the years